Jesus didn’t sneak past death. He didn’t grab you by the hand, motioning for you to stay low and quiet while you’re weaving through the tree’s trying not to be seen by the enemy. He didn’t use some sly trickery to cheat death. He didn’t make a deal with the devil. Jesus isn’t putting on camo face paint and quietly herding people away from Satan’s camp. Jesus didn’t escape death.

Jesus defeated death.

Jesus looked Satan straight in his blaspheming eyes, slammed his fist down and said, “Enough is enough.” Satan, lost in his lust for power, accepted the challenge. Jesus, implementing the first step in His plan, gave Himself up and died. Then He proceeded to storm down the corridors of Hades head on, smash down the gates of Hell itself, grab Satan by the throat, and made Satan a laughingstock. Satan, as proud as a Peacock, as arrogant as any fool has ever been, was dangling by his throat, held helpless by the very Man Satan had just declared victory over. Now the tables were turned. Death is defeated, Satan is defeated. The Son of God did what no one else could do. He claimed victory by fulfilling the requirements of atonement that was needed for the ransom. He didn’t find a way around it. He didn’t find a loophole in the Law. He He didn’t make a deal with the Devil, he dealt with the Devil. Jesus died so that sins of the world, which required death (sin always leads to death), would be paid for in full. Clever, huh? What Jesus did was awesome. He set forth a standard (the Law). It was hopeless from the beginning. We could never measure up and we knew it (that was the purpose of the Law, to show us our sin). Jesus came down, gave us an example of His perfect Law (His life) which met all of the standards He originally gave us, then died and literally bought us (paid the price of our sin; death) out of slavery from that Law which we could never achieve. Jesus paid the balance in full, fair and square. That’s a Leader I can follow.

Jesus isn’t a coward. Jesus isn’t a wimp. Nothing can stand between us and Him. That’s terrifying, yet utterly comforting. Don’t get lost in God’s love and forget about His strength. God loves us, and he also equips us to do what He asks.